Building element



March .23,1937l K. ERDMANN 2,074,721

BUILDING ELEMENT Filed Aug. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 423, 1937. K. RDMANN 2,074,721

' BUILDING ELEMENT Filed Aug. 5, 1.955 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fg. Fig. Z

EI] @vh/14d JAM/na Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES!" BUILDING ELEMENT Konrad Erdmann, Radenthein, Cari'nthia, Austria 'ipplication August 5, 1933, Serial No. 683,778 In Germany August, 1932 The invention relates to building elements for constructing walls, ceilings, roofs and the like, and particularly to building elements which comprise a panel of insulating material e. g.

fibres of wood wool cemented together by Portland cement, magnesia cement or another binding agent.

An object of the linvention is to provide building elements which have such a high resistance to breaking strain and to bending strain Athat they are adapted to carry the entire load, and to -reduce at the same time the thickness of the walls to a minimum, not greater than is necessary for obtaining suiiicient insulation.

j.; Another object of the invention is to prevent the building elements plastered at the place of manufacture, from being damaged during transportation.

A further object of the invention is to facili- 2 tate joining of adjacent building elements at the building-site.

-A further object of the invention is to facilitate mounting of installation material on walls and ceilings. 25 A further object of the invention is to prevent the formation of dew or sweat on the steel frames. A still further object of the invention is to allow particular window-frames and stanchions to be dispensed with, and to facilitate subse- 30 quently mountingof doors and Windows.

In accordance with the present invention a lpanel of insulating material covered with a plaster is framed by a steel frame having a height in cross section that is greater than the 35 thickness of the plastered panel.

On the ledges of the steel `frame which project beyond the surface of a building element there are provided the joining means of the building elements. If the elements are joined Aby welding 40 the ledges are bent inwards so that adjacent ledges of the frames arranged one beside another form a groove V-shaped in cross-section. A groove so formed is especially adapted to-receiving the welding seam which can be made very broad. In order to prevent the material of the panel and the plastering from becoming injured by the heat generated on welding, the groove is situated above or outside the surface of the building elements. After the joining means have been 50 applied, the ledges are provided with a cover of insulating material so as to prevent the formation of dew or sweat.

The bent ledges of the frames may moreover be covered by resilient bars engaging them, and 55 forming together with the ledges a. channel adapted to accommodate insulating material or wires or pipes.

The middle portion of the contour of the frames in section may be so shaped as to form steps so that the frames may directly beused as door wali with a window, which consists of buildingelementsaccording to the invention; Fig. 2 is a detailed cross-sectional View showing a frame on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a part of a ceiling; Fig. 4 is a cross-section through a part of a roof; Fig-5 is a detaill showing a modification of the projecting ledges of frames; Fig. 6 is an elevation of a part of a building partially in section and Fig. 7 is a section through the front wall on the line VIII--VIiI mof Fig. 6.

Like reference characters denote like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The building elements of the Wall shown in Fig. 1 consist of a steel frame I and a panel 2 of wood Wool cemented together by means of Portland cement, or the like, covered on both sides with plaster 3. The height of the section of the frame l is greater than the thickness of the panel 2 including the covers 3, so that the ledges 4 of the frame I project beyond the surface of the slabs. Instead, of plaster any material adapted to render the surface of the panel even may be employed.

The means for connecting the frames of adjacent plates or slabs may easily be provided on In case the connection isthe projecting ledges. made by Welding, the ledges are so bent inwards that the joint receiving the welding seam is a distance apart from the. surface of the panel. The heat generated on welding can therefore not injure the fibrous material of the panel.

The protecting ledges 4 may also be bent at right angles as is seen from Fig. 5, it being, however, preferable to bend the ledges inwards e. g. arch-like as shown` in Figs. l and 2. In thisl way V-shaped grooves are formed at the joint of adjacent siabs, within which a broad welding seam may be provided. The ends of the bent projecting ledges may be spaced from the surface of the panel.

After the joining means having been applied,

5 the projecting ledges are, particularly at the outside of the panels, encased by an insulating material. According to Fig. 5 the projecting ledges 4 are imbedded in an insulating material 8, for instance in porous concrete or porous asphalt which is covered by a -bar 9. According to the embodiment-ofthe invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the cover bar I0 has bent in edges lila adapted to engage -the ledges of the frame I when being placed over the latter so as to cover them. The

5 channels formed between the ledges 4 and the bars III at the inner side of a wall may be usedv for accommodating wires I I for lighting circuits.

In this way the installationA of such circuits is considerably facilitated. 2 'Ihe bars III are made of sheet iron or sheet brass approximately 1/ millimetre in thickness and may tbe pressed over the ledges v4 of the frames without tools being required therefor, thus allowing quick mounting of the bars. It is not necessary to have continuous bars covering the ledges of the frames, but a plurality of bars may be used, the ends of which may overlap since the bars are very thin. Hence the bars need not be 30 cut in definite lengths.

As is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 7, the middle portion of the frame I in cross-section may be so shaped as to form steps I2 and I3 so that'the frame is adapted directly to be used as Window 35 frame or door frame or stanchion. In Fig. 1, there is shown a Window I4 mounted between two frames according to the invention.

Building elements which are to be used for making ceilings may be designed as shown in Fig. 3, the ledges I of the frames' I projecting only beyond the bottom surface of the building elements.

'I'he frames of building elements for roofs will preferably be made as shown in Fig. 4. The panel 2 of such an element is so shaped that hip-like 45 projections I 3 are formed on the roof at the joint of the building elements, which facilitate' draining off the Water.

. Numerous advantages are attained in providing a building element according to the invention by making the height of the cross-section of the frame greater than the thickness of the panel.

In the rst instance the prpjecting ledges 4 constitute. an eiective protection against the '55 damage of plates during transportation. The

building plates or slabs may therefore be plastered at the factory thus considerably reducing the building expenses since as is known the plastering is the most expensive work. When the ledges are bent inwards as is shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the building elements may be covered during transportation with a protective material e. g. corrugated paste board the edges of which are held by the bent frame ledges.

'I'he main advantage attained bythe particular construction of the frame according to the invention consists in that the resistance to working and bending strain is considerably increased although the thickness of the wall is not greater o than is necessary for obtaining suicientI insulation, and buildings made withA building elements according to'the invention do not require a supporting construction, the work to be done at the building-site being therefore considerably re- 75 duced. As may be seen from an inspection oi' Figs. 6 and 7 the work to be done at the buildingsite is limited to arranging one beside another wall plates I5, iiooring or ceiling plates I6 and rooting plates Il respectively and to connecting the frames of these plates for instance by welding. Wall plates I8 within which windows I9 have to be provided show a. rectangular opening which is framed at both sides by plates and at the top and at the bottom by bars 20. 'I'he bars 2U have a profile like that of the plate frames I and form with the latter framing for the window I9. Wall plates 2I within which doors 22 have to be mounted are likewise provided with a. rectangular opening which is framed at two sides by frames I and at the top by a bar 2.3.

If it is desired subsequently to mount windows it is merely necessary in the height of the win- 4dow to remove the material of the panels and to connect the sides of the frames at the top and at the bottom vby a window-head and a window seat, for instance by cross-bars in section like the frame. In a similar manner doors may be mounted subsequently, for this purpose only one cross bar is necessary at the top of the opening. As door frames and window frames may be dis- -pensed with a considerable economical advantage is attained in making the frames in section .according to the invention. f

The projecting ledges are encased by an insulating material, after having been welded, and the bars are then placed thereupon. Since the bars cover the joint of adjacent plates and prevent air circulation it is suilicient to connect the frames by spot-welding. Covering the projecting ledges with insulating material prevents the penetration of the cold so that the formation of dew or sweat cannot occur. This advantage is of quite considerable importance since it is impossible to protect iron parts by a coating against the detrimental influences of condensing water. In the channels formed by the bent frame ledges and the cover bars, there may be accommodated wires and pipes for conducting electric current, gas, and water respectively. Laying of such con- I duits requires but little Work and in addition these conduits may easily be checked.

I particularly point out that the insulating panel may be made in diilerent ways. The preferred manner is to fill the brous material, in wet condition, into the prepared steel frames and then to allow the material to harden in the frame. I do not coniine myself, however, to this method; the -illling may also be done with ready shaped insulating slabs, i. e. with one or more layers of these slabs, laid either tightly one against the other or with air space between the slabs. But in all cases the total thickness of this illler is smaller in cross section than the cross section of the frame.

In the following claims I use the term wall to mean walls as well as ceilings and-roofs.

I claimz- 1. A wall having separate panels disposed in edge to edgerelation, each panel consisting of insulating material covered with a plaster and j bordered by a peripheral steel frame projecting beyond the plastered faces of the panel, the said panels being united by welding together the projecting edges of the steel frames of adjacent panels and the welded edges of the steel frames being encased by an insulating material.

2. A wall having separate panels disposed in edge to edgerelation, each panel consisting oi 'insulating material covered with a plaster andv bordered by a peripheral steel frame projecting beyond the plastered i'a'ces of the panel, the said panels being united by welding together the projecting edges of the steel frames of adjacent panels and the welded edges of the steel frames being Aencased by an insulating material and covered by detachable thin sheaths.

3. A wall having separate panels disposed in edge to edge relation, each panel consisting of insulating. material covered with a plaster and bordered by a peripheral steel frame projecting beyond the plastered faces of the panel, the said panels being united by welding together the projecting edges of the steel frames of adjacent panels and the welded edges being covered by detachable thin sheaths formed so as to provide a channel between the said projecting edges and the said sheaths.

4. In a wall, panels of insulating material bordered by a peripheral steel frame and covered with a plaster, the said steel frame having a ilange presenting an edge spaced from the plaster surface, the panels being disposed in edge to edge relation and welded together at the said edge spaced from the plaster surface.

5. In a wall, panels of insulating material bordered by a peripheral steel frame and covered Awith a plaster, the said steel frame having ilanges projecting beyond the plastered faces of the said panels and having bent edge portions spaced apart from the said plastered faces, a filling of insulating material being provided in they space between the said flanges and the said faces, the

panels being disposed in edge to edge relation' and welded togetherat the said bent. edge portions.

6. In a wall, panels of insulating material bordered by a peripheral steel frame and covered with a plaster, the said steel frame having flanges projecting beyond the plastered faces of the said panel and having bent edge portions spaced apart from the said plastered faces, the edge portions being so bent inwards that the flanges ofadjacent frames form a groove, the

bottom of which lies-above the plastered faces of the panels, the panels being disposed in edge to edge relation and welded together at the said bent edge portions so 'that the welding seam is located within the said groove.

7. In a. wall. panels of insulating material bordered by a peripheral steel frame and covered with aplaster, the said steel frame having flanges projecting beyond the plastered faces of the said panels and having bent edge portions spaced apart from the said plastered faces, the cross sectional shape of the steel frame showing steps protruding inwardly against the body of the panel, the panels being disposed in edge to edge relation and welded together at the said bent edge portions.

8. In a wall, panels of insulating material bordered by a peripheral steel frame and covered with a plaster, and building elements for use as door frames consisting of a steel frame shaped in cross-section with inwardly projecting steps, a cross-bar connected to the said steel frame so as to divide the steel frame into two portions, one portion of which borders a panel of insulating material covered with a plaster, the other portion being adapted to be lled by a door, the said steel frames of the panels and building elements having :iianges projecting beyond the plastered faces of the panels and having bent edge portions spaced apart from the plastered faces, the said cross-bar of' the building elements being of a cross-sectional shape like the steel frames, the steps of the cross-bar projecting outwardly from the body of the panel, the said building elements and the said panels being disposed in edge to edge relation and welded together at the said bent edge portions.

9. In a wall, panels of insulating material bordered by a peripheral steel frame and covered with a plaster, and building elements for use as window frames consisting of a steel frame shaped in cross-sectionV with inwardly projecting steps, two cross-bars connected to 'the said steel frame so as to divide the steel frame into three portions, each of the two outer portions of which border a panel of insulating material covered with a plaster, the middle portion being adapted to be lled by a window, the said steel frames of the panels and building elements having flanges projecting beyond the plastered faces of the said panels and having bent edge portions spac'ed apart from the plastered faces, the said crossbars of the building elements being of a cross- A sectional shape like the steel frames. the steps of the cross-bars projecting outwardly from the body of the panels, the said building elements and the said panels being disposed in edge to edge relation and welded together at the said bent edge portions.

KONRAD ERDMANN. 

